


Nothing at all like the movie

by TheyDraggedMeInNowIAintLeaving



Series: The "I'll think of a title later and then I didn't" pile [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cas and Dean are in their forties, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dean Winchester whishes he'd been a cowboy, Established Relationship, Intimacy, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Platonic Relationships, author projects their lack of knowledge unto the characters, destielsecretsanta2020, fluffy sappy ending, ranch vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28332078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheyDraggedMeInNowIAintLeaving/pseuds/TheyDraggedMeInNowIAintLeaving
Summary: When he’d been a kid Dean had dreamt of growing up to be a cowboy.  So when he’d seen an ad offering that kind of experience, he’d clicked it and spent a few hours exploring the webpage, and before going to bed that night he’d bought two tickets for the summer.Getting Cas to come along had been as simple as asking, even if he’d looked a little skeptical when Dean had listed all the things they were offering, like roping and bronco riding and the thing Dean looked forward to the most: herding.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: The "I'll think of a title later and then I didn't" pile [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650178
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Nothing at all like the movie

**Author's Note:**

> Made for [destielsecretsanta2020](https://destielsecretsanta2020.tumblr.com) as a gift for [for-laufeyson-without-question](https://for-laufeyson-without-question.tumblr.com/)  
> I know this isn't _exactely_ what you wished for, but I hope you'll enjoy this little story regardless.

In hindsight this probably wasn’t one of my better ideas, Dean thought to himself as he slowly, gingerly made his way back towards the cabin and a change of clothes and a cup of coffee. In all honesty right now Dean just wanted to lie down and pass out, not wake up again before his everything stopped hurting. Distantly he could hear someone shout and the thought of someone seeing him like this and make fun of him was enough to get him to keep moving.

Left foot forward   
(he winced)   
right foot   
(then cursed)   
left foot again   
until he finally made it to the door, his bow leggedness more pronounced with the pain he was in than usual.

His pained groan rang loud in the quiet of the cabin as he tried to stretch his hunched back and right his poor legs, his butt protesting every move as if it was doing the work. Dean scowled at his reflection in the mirror that inexplicably hung in the short hall way showing him his ‘little old lady’-walk in all its glory as he shuffled into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and nurse his wounded pride.

  
The instant his backside connected with the seat of the chair he shot up with a yelp of pain, glowering out the window as if he could see all the way to the enclosure.

~x~ 

When he’d been a kid Dean had dreamt of growing up to be a cowboy. Romanticized as it no doubt was the idea of traveling vast distances on horseback with no other company than thousands of cattle and a few other men had been appealing. Sharing meals made over open flame beneath the starry sky and sleep on the ground with a saddle for pillow and wrapped in a woolen blanket had seemed like a dream come true. Life had led him in a different direction and Dean had never even learnt to ride a horse, but the dream was still there somewhere deep inside.

So when he’d seen an ad offering that kind of experience, he’d clicked it and spent a few hours exploring the webpage, and before going to bed that night he’d bought two tickets for the summer.   
Getting Cas to come along had been as simple as asking, even if he’d looked a little skeptical when Dean had listed all the things they were offering, like roping and bronco riding and the thing Dean looked forward to the most: herding.

The closer it had gotten to their vacation the longer the days had seemingly gotten and Dean had felt like a kid on Christmas eve with how excited he was.

And now here he was, sore beyond description from doing little else than _sitting_ on a horse. Sure, the horse had walked around the pen, led by a teenager happily giving him directions on his posture, his grip on the reins and the commands to use to make the horse move or stop. It had been surprisingly – unpleasantly so – exhausting to do just that, though the real surprised had been when he tried to get back down once his lesson was done and he could barely get his legs to work.

The teenager had smiled at him and recommended stretching and a hot shower to prevent any stiffness in the morning. Dean had thanked them with a terse smile and politely refused their offer for help, watched them lead the horse back outside to begin the intricate process of removing tack and cleaning it off before letting it relax in the pasture with the other horses. Which he only knows because he’d paid attention when they’d been shown around the ranch shortly after arriving and not because he can see it from where he’s experimentally trying to move his feet.   
He made it to the fence and out the gate, thankful it was open and he wouldn’t have to climb it like the teenager had done. He heads towards the cabin.

-

The mug’s nearly empty when he hears the door opening, the rustle of clothes and the soft bump of shoes being toed of and neatly placed along the wall, then footsteps and the heat of another body next to his.   
For a few minutes neither of them say anything, Dean taking the last swig of coffee, a hand relieving him of the now empty mug, his side feeling a little colder as they move away to refill it only to warm when the filled mug’s placed in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Cas looking out the window, hands folded around his own mug of coffee; his face carefully blank though Dean can see the amusement deep in his blue eyes.

“Oh shut up,” Dean finally says, playfully elbowing Cas who carefully sat his mug on the table, innocently raising his eyes. “You’re thinking it. Loudly.” Cas grins and leans in for a hug.

“Hungry?” he asks, already turned to the small fridge pulling a few things out to prepare for lunch. Dean grabs cutlery, glasses and something to drink, smiles a little when he sees the pillow on the chair he’d declared his own. This time sitting down isn’t as bad and his stomach reminds him he’d skipped breakfast just as Cas sets a filled plate in front of him.

They eat in silence and once they’re done Cas puts their plates in the sink, puts away the food before making Dean get up. He instantly regrets not doing as the teenager had suggested and stretched while he’d still been warm as now his muscles feel stiff and even more sore than they had when he’d walked back from the pen. Cas takes a look at him then herds him into the tiny bedroom, gets Dean out of his jeans and shirt and leaves him to lie down. He’s drifting somewhere on the edge of sleep when Cas comes back, the faint smell of lemon scented oil hitting his nose a second before Cas begins massaging him. Dean’s fast asleep long before he’s even moved past his shoulders.

He wakes up in the early evening feeling much better than he had earlier. Next to him Cas is sitting against the headboard, book in hand and glasses sliding down his nose. Dean smiles at the sight and shuffles closer, getting under Cas’ arm where he can read a few sentences that feel vaguely familiar though he can’t quite place them.

“Had fun?” Cas asks, his voice rumbling in his chest.

“Yeah. Harder than I thought it’d be though.” He looks up. “Thanks by the way, I feel better.” Cas nods his acceptance of Dean’s gratitude and returns to his book. Dean stays cuddled up for a few minutes more before slipping out from under the covers, getting dressed and goes to make dinner.

When they’ve eaten and cleaned they watch a movie before going to bed, getting ready for yet another long day.

-

Eventually Dean gets the hang of it to the point where he gets to leave the pen; of course this also means he gets to take part in the less exciting task of taking care of the horse afterwards. The few times in the past he’d ever thought about this part he’d always considered it boring and something to get over with as fast as humanly possible, but to his surprise he finds that he enjoys it, that it relaxes him the same way it seems to relax the animal. Cas grins - the same huge, gummy one Dean had fallen in love with when they’d first met years ago - when he tells him, a knowing glint in his eyes when he snuggles closer as Dean recounts the rest of his day.

Once he’s equipped with basic riding skills, Dean and a few other guests are taught how to throw a lariat. It’s not as horrible as the first few times on horseback had been, but his arm and shoulders are still sore when he gets back that evening, and once again Cas gives him a thorough massage though this time Dean doesn’t fall asleep and they spend the rest of the evening cuddled close while watching a horror movie Dean’s been wanting to see since it came in theaters a while back. Cas, who doesn’t care much for those, is hugging his pillow tightly and when the things happening on screen gets too much he hides behind it while Dean turn off the sound and relies on the subtitles until he peeks out from the pillow once more.   
Once the end credits roll Cas turns off the laptop and they get ready for bed, both of them falling asleep right away, exhausted in a way that’s unfamiliar but kind of nice.

-

Their two weeks pass by in a blur and Dean feels ready to participate in the “mini rodeo for city folks” their stay is supposed to end with. Cas hugs him, “for good luck,” he grins and punches Dean lightly in the shoulder to which Dean retaliates by tickling him until he’s called down to the arena where the first competition takes place.   
He takes 3rd place on the goat tying and bows out of bronc riding – he’s definitely too old to risk a broken bone just to try and stay on a horse that’s actively tries to get rid of him. There are other competitions Dean has no interest in participating in so he joins Cas in the stands where they cheer the participants on along with the rest of the audience.

Once those competition are over and done with and the animals are safely back in their stalls or pastures and the winners have been called, it’s time for the part that Dean’s stomach has been looking forward to ever since Cas had told him there would be a _pie_ contest.   
Tables are brought forward and food brought out, signs with numbers placed in front of the numerous pots, pans, plates and so on. Cas tastes the seven different chilies and then casts his vote, both of them trying the lasagnas – Dean voting for the third with it golden layer of cheese and taste of bacon, while Cas picks the seventh, filled with vegetables and the cheese sprinkled generously between each layer.   
They steer away from the various potatoes and barbequed meant when Dean catches the first whiff of pie filling, grabs Cas’ hand and rushes in that direction. 

The first one’s a cream pie; it’s well made and looks like a picture from a magazine. It’s tastes good, too, but isn’t Dean’s kind pie. The next in the line is a meringue pie, far too sweet for either of their tastes and they quickly move on to the third. This one is perfectly golden on top, the crust buttery and flakey and the whole thing filled with perfectly cut apples dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Dean eats Cas’ piece, too, not because Cas didn’t like it, but because apple pie’s Dean’s favorite and Cas can’t vote for it anyway considering he made it. Something he’s not going to tell Dean until they get back home and he hopefully manages to make another one that’s just as good.   
Dean politely tries the rest of the pies and then votes for his favorite. That taken care of they just mill about, talking with the other guests, those who arrived at the same time as them, those who came after, the workers and the family who owns the ranch.   
Once they’ve had enough of people Dean drags Cas with him to the training barn to introduce him to the horse that taught Dean to ride. He’s a little surprised to realize his eyes are a bit moist at the thought of leaving the horse, Cas wrapping his arm around him and hugging him tightly until the sadness dissipates and Dean can focus on saying a proper goodbye, knowing Cas isn’t going to laugh at him for his sentimentality.

They miss out on the prize presentation in favor of showering followed by a nap for Dean and reading for Cas, and not until the sun’s slowly setting and the smell of food reaches their noses do they get out of bed, once more putting on pants and shoes before going back outside.

They find a place to sit away from the large grills filled with food just waiting to be served, engage in small talk with their table mates, which means Cas is talking while Dean leans back and lets the cadence of Cas’ voice wash over him, only offering a comment here and there when he deems it necessary.   
As darkness falls fairy lights hanging from the building and in the trees are turned on and when people are done eating, tables and benches are pushed to the side to clear a space large enough to use as a dance floor, some of the people gathering at one side with instruments in hand they begin playing.

The first notes are barely heard before the first couple steps forward and begins dancing, soon followed by others. Cas’ hand is warm in Dean’s, his skin soft but calloused where he gently squeezes Dean’s fingers. A woman comes to stand in front of them, her eyes shining and a blush in her cheeks when she asks Cas to dance. Dean lets go of his hand and waves him forward, his eyes following them as they move around the space, carefully avoiding the other dancers.   
When the music stops Cas and the woman lets go of each other, Cas bowing and the woman looking over at Dean, laughing at whatever Cas said before curtseying and going back to the people she’d been talking with before asking for a dance, Cas making his way across the floor to once more stand next to Dean.

They watch for a while, the music ending and beginning a new until finally familiar notes float through the air and Dean bows, Cas taking his hand and leading him out on the floor. Dean’s not a good dancer, has no sense of rhythm, but for this particular song they don’t have to do anything than hold each other and gently sway in place.

With a quiet sigh Dean finally lets go of the vague sense of regret that’s been with him ever since he ordered the tickets for this trip. Maybe there’ll be other days where he’ll wonder what life could’ve been had he followed his childhood dream and tried to become a cowboy, but here and now looking up into the starry sky Dean knows he made the right choice, knows that if he could do it all over again he’d still end up here, dancing with Cas, because this is where he belongs, where he’s happy.   
As if he can read Dean’s mind, knows Dean needs the confirmation, Cas moves a fraction of a step closer, takes Dean’s hand and lifts it to trap their entwined hands between their chests, letting him feel the steady beat of Cas’ heart, of his own heart; in sync, together. He smiles, brighter and brighter still at Cas’ answering one, until it feels like they smiling bright enough they could compete with the sun.

[End]

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, titles are the worst! (and yes, obviously I take suggestions)
> 
> as always: Comments and kudos encouraged.   
> If I forgot a tag let me know and I'll add it


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